Thursday, January 29, 2009

MTC

We Love you, we'll miss you but we know you'll be wonderful!
You make us so PROUD!


































{Doesn't he look SHARP?!}

Monday, January 26, 2009

weekend with Cade

We loved spending Cade's last weekend with him! We got to celebrate his Birthday on Friday with a Crab-Fest (20 lbs. of it, to be exact!) games, and listening in late into the night as he and is buddies reminisced about the "good 'ol" days!






































Saturday was spent visiting Grams and Gramps and helping them out with a few things, along with preperations for Sunday and Games late into the night!

Then Sunday Cade gave a wonderful talk and looked so sharp in is suit and tie -like a real missionary, all grown up! It was fun to get to see and visit with lots of family and friends!























































Of course Laex and Avi loved playing together and it seems they both have an obsession with phones!
































Wednesday we'll head to the MTC to say our good-byes.
Look out Texas, here he comes!

Monday, January 19, 2009

F#@!E Vent!

Warning: l o n g post, about a FENCE!
Notes: LG= LeGrand, BFF (this is the reference I have recently acquired in an attempt to eliminate harsh feelings) =Fence Guy Troy
Preface:
The summer of 2008 was spent busy doing many projects at our new home, one of which we truly desired to finish was the backyard. We busted our butts! Many days were spent hauling rocks, pulling weeds, leveling, landscaping, laying sod, pouring cement and, there was even some complaining by me:) The end of summer was drawing near and we had one last thing to complete - the fence, we wanted to get it done knowing if we put it off there was a very large chance it would never come to be. In our warn-out state we chose to "hire" someone else to do the fence, from start to finish. We, for once, wouldn't have to lift a finger in this project. Yeah, it was more money, but well worth it at this point and the neighbors to both sides of us agreed to half their portion, GREAT!. We investigated many companies and products and finally found "the man for the job", his references were good, his price was good, everything was good.
Now here's where the REAL story begins!
September 2, 2008 my BFF comes to the house and we make a deal. He makes good conversation about how this is a side job, his "real" job being as an employment specialist for the "Church" - (I've been told this should've been my sign to run the other way). We pay him the first half of the dividend to cover the supplies, it is agreed that the last portion will be payed out when the job is complete. He gives us a date in approx. 2 weeks from this day.
Well, after nearly 4 weeks he finally shows up with his "helper" (who eventually we discover is his son - I don't think that's a big deal, kinda weird he had to be so sly about it?!) to start the fence, it's hot and he leaves his son with a hand-held hole digger/shovel thingy to dig all the holes (I felt so bad for the kid I took him out some Gatorade-at this point I still have some compassion:). Within about 6 weeks we finally have the holes finished and posts cemented in. The process is begining to make me a bit upset. And then it only gets worse. BFF never shows up when he says he will and if we're lucky enough that he happens to "stop by" he stays for an hour or two and then busts outta here without saying a word to anyone (did I mention he has to drive at least and hour and a half to get here?), not to mention, he won't answer any of his phones when we call, he'll eventually return an e-mail a couple of days later. The man always has an excuse. "Emergency, had to go to Idaho", "No supplies", "Hurt back", "too cold", "Oh, it's a blizzard today" yada yada yada. I just let LG deal with the guy, cause he makes me so disgusted I'm sure I would say unpleasant things.
So, we were lucky this year to have good weather till December, don't worry he didn't use that to his advantage. At one point we get a call and BFF wants more money because he had to use our money to finish up a different project. um, excuse me (between the neighbors and us, we gave the guy over $4,000 bucks). Don't worry, I gave him a nice little call and told him that was bad business and I didn't appreciate that our fence had to wait because he is doing bad business and He would not be receiving another dime from us so he better figure out how to get the stuff he needed to finish and do it soon. (At another point he told LG that he was closing his "fence" business because he's tired of chasing people for money, la la la)
I guess I scared him (am I really that scary?), not into getting the fence done, just made him afraid of me. He asked LG once if I could be gone when they showed up to work on the fence. What?! - Um, NO! In fact I was half tempted to invite the whole neighborhood over and sit on the porch and watch his every move! So we ended up paying our last portion of money (much less than what the last portion was going to be if paid to BFF) to the supply place when the last supplies were delivered so at least we had the supplies if BFF never showed up again and he knew he wasn't getting another penny out of us!
BFF is a winner. The weather has delayed the process. And the latest excuse, "hurt my back lifting weights" (LOL) has put things off even more. I'm done with the dude, and frankly I just want my fence finished before next summer at this point (over 4 1/2 months later)!

Dear BFF Troy,
I really hope I never have to talk to you again, better yet see you. I'm highly disappointed in your lack of responsibility, communication and integrity. I'm sorry that you are so dishonest and have made this process so long and miserable. I'm even more sorry that I'll never forget you and it's not because I don't want to!

With Love (somewhere deep in my heart)
Liberti

P.S. You are more than welcome to use me as a reference!

Fetish

I guess Laex has a fetish.
Hats.
Here's his latest "ha(t)" - discovered while helping me fold laundry.

Friday, January 16, 2009

L O L

Any one who knows my dad knows that it is V E R Y RARE that you see him without his Cowboy boots and Cowboy hat on...on that note...
The other day we brought home a large box of Quaker oatmeal from the store and set it on the counter before we knew it Laex was continually pointing at the Quaker Guy saying, "Pa Pa, Pa Pa" - LeGrand then replied, "No, that isn't Pa Pa, Pa Pa doesn't look like that and he doesn't have that much hair (infact, he's bald :)." LOL! I guess the hat reminded him of Pa Pa! - We finally had to put the box in hiding because he wouldn't give it up!

Today Laex was minding his buisness eating breakfast while I was distracted in the Kitchen when he said, "Ma Ma, Ma Ma, ha" (his word for "hat" - he can't quite get the "t" yet), I looked over to see this...


























My first reaction was to get upset because prior to this the bowl held greasy french toast sticks and sticky syrup but really, isn't that so creative - and smart?!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Necessity

Lately, it's been necessary that Laex have not one but TWO sippy cups! One filled with Milk the other with O.J. (quite the mixture huh?!)

Monday, January 5, 2009

New Years, a Fresh Start!

We had a blast enjoying our second Christmas and New Year's in vernal. We did a lot of game playing and eating and the girls enjoyed doing crafts!




















































We also got to attend the temple with Cade, it was awesome! He is getting so excited to head into the mission field on the 28th of January!



























Enjoying the long ride home :)






























Now...
I'm pumped for a new year - I can't hardly believe that it's 2009 - wow! But I love looking back on the year and preparing and setting goals for the future. For the most part we had a fabulous year and I was able to keep and accomplish about 75% of last years resolutions!!
Here are a couple of things we're looking forward to in the next year:
Keeping in shape
Completing and organizing a food storage
Beginning the finishing of our basement
A fun trip to the East Coast (New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Mass. and Maine) to visit LeGrands parents and make memories!
Strengthening our testimonies of Christ through consistent scripture study, church attendance, FHE and prayer.
Living on a Budget.
Finishing projects (I have too many to count that have been started and never completed!)
and I must add - I've got some fun, fresh ideas for the stagnant Etsy shop...

Along with ourselves we hope for everyone a Healthy, Prosperous and Happy New Year!